The market as a concrete experience, an abstract notion or a metaphor for social relations will serve as a thematic framework for an interdisciplinary project organised by the departments of visual communication of Srishti and Weissensee together with the Weissensee master course »Space strategies«.

What is the 'Law of the Market'?

The »law of the market« is an argument which is very often used to declare the so-called economic reality as something which cannot be changed. It is an argument which very often helps to enforce private economic interests against public interests. Many citizens, whether they are students, tenants, city dwellers or others may wonder if these laws constitute an unchangeable reality when they are confronted with tuition fees, rent increases or urban developments which affect their lives.

Many changes of our urban environments are consequences of global developments which often are neither visible nor understandable. In our project we will look at the impact of these developments and zoom in on small scale economic structures, like the street markets and market halls which can be found both in Berlin and Bangalore or on a phenomenon like Avenue Road which has no match in German Cities. Here we can study the most elementary exchange of goods and services which has developed to innumerable variations which are less tangible and less visible in our urban life:

the financial market,

the real estate market,

markets for all kinds of services offered locally or internationally.

Within this thematic framework, the participants will find their personal interpretations of the term market and define their projects. The collaboration between Indian and German students (and two different disciplines) shall lead to a multiplicity of perspectives – a close-up and a wide angle view – the »new« and uncoloured perspective of the guests coupled with the familiarity of the Indian students with local conditions.

The students are free to choose their medium – they can create:

photographs,

films,

drawings,

posters,

maps

diagrams

space installations

performances.

They work in teams or individually.

Important Note: The work by the students will be presented on 9th Dec, 2011. All are welcome to join in!

“kein Wetter” Bild-Ton-Collage,

Ausschnitt aus Johannes-Boegle's Film "Innen-Stadt"

In a more general context this project will deal with -

our role as designers and artists in society and the question how we can comment on social and urban developments which affect us all.

how we can counter the perceptions of politicians, planners and real estate developers with an alternative vision that gives space to other needs and priorities.